Bergamot orange lowers cholesterol

January 21, 2015 8:24 PM

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Look out, statin drugs- there's a new cholesterol-lowering agent in town, an extract of the juice of the bitter bergamot orange. And while it doesn’t have the same number of studies as statins to demonstrate its efficacy, two animals studies and four human trials point to its value in reducing LDL (so-called bad) cholesterol. At the same time, the bergamot extract appears to increase HDL (so-called good) cholesterol, and protect the liver. That’s not bad for an orange.

Bergamot is probably best known as the distinctive aroma and flavor in Earl Gray tea. It’s bergamot that imparts the unique fragrance of that popular brew. The essential oil of the orange is a valuable ingredient in various perfumes. But researchers over the past decade or more have turned their att...